Johnny’s gone a-sailing, with trouble on his mind
For the leaving of his country and his darlin’ love behin

Dora Lee-a-Laddie
Dora Lee, my Lily, oh

She’s gone to the tailor shop, and dressed in man’s array
Shipped on board a man o’war, convey herself away

Before you step on board, sir, you’re name I’d like to know
With a smile upon her countenance, she answered: „Jack Monroe“

Your waist it is to slender, your fingers are to small
Your cheeks they are to rosy, to face the cannonball

My waist it is quiet slender, my fingers they are small
But I’ll never change my countenance, to face the cannonball

The drums did loudly rattle, sweet music they did play
And on to the field of battle they soon did sail away

When the war was over, in a circle she marched round
And among the dead and wounded her darling love she found

Poor sailor coming back from the wars - All is fine!

(Repeat first line in each verse as chorus)

One foot shod, the other nude,
"Poor sailor, from whence come ye?" - All is fine!

"Madame, I have come home from the wars - All is fine!
He drank and he sang,
But the lovely hostess cried - All is fine!

The gallant sailor drinks the wine - All is fine!
He drank and he sang,
But the lovely hostess cried - All is fine!

"What is the matter with you, lovely hostess - All is fine!
Are you sorry for your white wine
That the sailor is drinking" - All is fine!

"It is not my wine that I regret - All is fine!
It's because I've lost my husband,
Mister, he looked like you" - All is fine!

"Ah, tell me, my lovely hostess - All is fine!
Didn't you have two children by him -
And now you have four" - All is fine!

"When they wrote and told me the news - All is fine!
That he was dead and buried,
I married again" - All is fine!

The gallant sailor drank his wine - All is fine!
Without thanks and sorrowful,
Went back to his ship - All is fine!

As I was a-walking down Paradise Street,
Ch: To me way-aye, blow the man down
A pretty young damsel I chanced for to meet
Ch: Give me some time to blow the man down!

She was round in the counter and bluff in the bow,
So I took in all sail and cried "Way enough now."

I hailed her in English, she answered me clear,
"I'm from the Black Arrow bound to the Shakespeare."

So I tailed her my flipper and took her in tow,
And yardarm to yardarm away we did go.

But as we were going she said unto me,
"There's a spanking full-rigger just ready for sea."

That spanking full-rigger to New York was bound;
She was very well manned and very well found.

But soon as that packet was clear of the bar,
The mate knocked me down with the end of a spar.

And as soon as that packet was out on the sea,
'Twas devilish hard treatment of every degree.

So I give you fair warning before we belay;
Don't never take heed of what pretty girls say.